The BC government "status quo" budget means yet again costs that School Districts incur simply due to inflation, downloaded responsibilities (like the carbon offsets), and increased costs beyond the Districts' control will have to be absorbed in the status quo per pupil funding.
What does this mean? Districts are already predicting significant cuts to services.
So far I have read:
Greater Victoria: $500,000 shortfall
Surrey: $10 million shortfall (see http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/oakbaynews/news/116256259.html)
Nanaimo: $4 million shortfall
Do you know of other districts facing budget deficits next year? Please post a comment.
Tara, our exact numbers (Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows) will be out shortly. I'll let you know.
ReplyDeleteJust read Vancouver is predicting $11.8 million.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the GVSD is fiscally prudent compared to the other boards!
ReplyDeleteGVSD has additional money from the seven closed schools and the sale of school lands. This might not seem prudent in 5 - 10 years when our student population has rebounded.
ReplyDeleteGVSD also has a large share of the community link money - and if you ask many other districts they will tell you this is not fairly distributed.
Finally, GVSD is able to find income from the international program due to the location in Victoria. But this again is not equitable - why should Victoria students see a benefit from privatized services that other districts cannot realistically provide.